1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a centrifugal microfluidic device and a centrifugal microfluidic system including the centrifugal microfluidic device, and more particularly, to a centrifugal microfluidic device that can distribute a sample to a plurality of non-vented chambers using one moving operation of the sample, and a centrifugal microfluidic system including the centrifugal microfluidic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a microfluidic device has a structure including a chamber storing a minute amount of fluid, a channel through which the fluid flows, a valve for controlling the fluid flow, and various functional units receiving the fluid to perform predetermined operations. The functional units also have a basic structure including a chamber, a channel, or a valve, and can be configured in different combinations. A biochip is obtained by arranging such microfluidic device on a chip-type substrate and is used to analyze the performance of various assays including biologic reactions. In particular, a device that is designed to perform multiple step processes and manipulations using a single chip is referred to as a lab-on-a chip.
A driving pressure is generally required to transfer a fluid within a microfluidic device. A capillary pressure or a pressure generated by a specifically designed pump is used as the driving pressure. A lab compact disk (CD) or a lab-on a disk, based on the use of centrifugal force, has been recently developed as a microfluidic device by arranging microfluidic structures on a compact disk-shaped platform. However, in this case, a microfluidic structure is not fixed to a rotating frame, compared to the case of a lab-on-a chip where microfluidic structure is fixed to a bottom part. Additionally, fluid pumping using the centrifugal force is easy, however, an operation for controlling the fluid (e.g., individual driving of a valve or distribution of the fluid) is difficult.
In biochemical, biological, or medical applications where microfluidic devices are mainly used, it is necessary to distribute a sample (fluid) to a plurality of reaction chambers in order to simultaneously examine the reaction of the sample with respect to various reaction liquids. Such centrifugal microfluidic devices have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,643 and 5,518,930. However, there is still a need for a microfluidic device having a structure in which a sample can be effectively distributed as soon as possible without waiting for a movement of a fluid sample due to a capillary phenomenon or adding a resistance to the movement of the fluid.